It`s BJP tradition to ditch weak allies: NCP

Mumbai: Amid speculations over likely political alignments in Maharashtra against the backdrop of the state BJP president Devendra Fadnavis meeting MNS chief Raj Thackeray, NCP on Thursday said that BJP will "ditch" its NDA partner Shiv Sena because the party has been decimated over a period of time.

Fadnavis yesterday visited Raj Thackeray at his residence `Krishnakunj` in Dadar, setting tongues wagging about whether BJP is cozying up to the estranged Thackeray cousin.

Seeking to drive a wedge between the saffron alliance, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik today claimed that Shiv Sena`s days in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are numbered.

"BJP`s history shows that the party does not continue alliance with parties whose strength has declined. The moment they (BJP) feel that the ally has weakened, the party parts ways and goes elsewhere," Malik said.

Taking a dig at the demands seeking induction of Raj Thackeray into "Maha-yuti" (grand alliance) of BJP, Shiv Sena and RPI, the NCP spokesperson said there was no need to form Maharashtra Democratic Alliance when NDA already exists at the national level.

"After the talk of inducting MNS into the grand alliance, Shiv Sena through its mouthpiece `Saamana` scotched these speculations. (Even) Ramdas Athavale (RPI) and Gopinath Munde (BJP) stopped talking about taking MNS on the board," he said.

Malik said that Fadnavis chose to meet Raj when Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is abroad.

"How can Fadnavis say that the meeting was not political in nature when two leaders are involved," he said.

Responding to a query whether his party is planning to align with Shiv Sena, Malik said that NCP will continue to be in the UPA fold.